Will to Live

Daffodil

"Em, Evie's not going to make it," Adelaide said one night. She slapped at a mosquito that had ignored the smoke from the campfire.

"Yes, she is. She's got to."

"Look, we both know she's getting worse. She needs to get to a healer."

"There isn't a healer here."

"I know. We need to get her to a village."

"How?"

"What do you mean? There's no soldiers here to stop us. All we have to do is go."

"We don't have a horse or a cart or anything."

"We can make a cart and take turns pulling it."

"The wolves will get us."

"We can take a chance."

"No. I'm not taking a chance with her life."

"Em, come on. She's going to die if we don't get her out of here."

Em stood and walked toward the hut. She paused at the door. "No. She will get better. I'll make sure she does."

Adelaide sighed and poked at the fire. If only there was a way to get Evonna out. But Emnilda was right. If they tried to just walk out of here, the wolves would kill them. It was a risk just to go out and hunt or gather berries. There was no hope for it. Adelaide went into the hut to grab her blanket. She had only a blanket to lay on. She wrapped herself with a makeshift blanket she'd made of rabbit and squirrel skin and went back outside to keep watch on the fire. It had taken months to get used to sleeping on a hard surface like the ground. It had taken even longer to get good at hunting. Deer was scarce. She had killed two but had given their skins to Evonna to keep her warm. She and Emnilda did their best to make sure Evonna was comfortable. They didn't want her to get any sicker, but it was a losing battle. Emnilda slept beside Evonna for more warmth. Adelaide listened to Evonna's heavy breathing in the silence. How long had it been since she had met them? Months? Years? There was almost no concept of time. Every day was the same. Take turns watching the fire during the night, wake up at dawn, work in the field behind the huts, gather berries and hunt, repeat. Since her arrival, three of the five older men had passed away. The girls had lugged their bodies to the gate and thrown them outside. The wolves feasted. Adelaide shivered and wiped her nose on the blanket. A wolf howled outside the fence, followed by the rest of the wolves' voices. The castle had been so different. She'd had dresses, servants, books, and flowers. But she'd never had a close friend. Adelaide smiled. She was glad she'd been sent here. Here, she had learned things that were actually useful. Here, there was no place for the embroidery and delicate music. Here, she hunted and worked the field. The girls sang together when they were working, but it was nothing like the music she had been taught to make. They sang to keep up their spirits, not to entertain others. Everything here was for survival, but Adelaide wouldn't have traded it for anything. Somehow, she enjoyed it. She smiled again. This was home now. Of course, there were things she missed, but that was nothing.

Adelaide jumped when Emnilda put her hand on her shoulder. She went into the hut and curled up on her blanket. She put her hand out to touch the coronet she kept just by her head. There was nothing there. Adelaide sat up and began to look around frantically. It was no use. The coronet was gone. Adelaide lay back down and cried herself to sleep.

Evonna slowly grew worse. She couldn't work anymore. Now, she struggled to mend clothes. She had a hard time sleeping as well. Often, she would sit up with Emnilda or Adelaide.

"Adelaide, tell me about you."

"What do you mean?"

"Your life before all—this."

"There isn't much to tell. I lived in a castle with my vater. Mutter died when I was five, so my vater and I had a special relationship. Then, Herzog Reikhoff took over our castle and captured my vater and sent me here. What about you?"

Evonna smiled. "Emnilda's lived here her whole life. I came with Mutter when I was just two. Emnilda was born a few months later. Mutter died a few years ago, and we've been shifting for ourselves since. Then I got this stupid cough."

"Why did your mutter come here?"

"I—well, let's see. I dunno where to start. Well, I guess the Herzog at the time—I don't know if he's still herzog or not—he had a wife and she was pregnant, but he didn't love her. He—he had a mistress in the village. My mutter. She had me and the Herzog's wife had her child—a little girl. Then, when Mutter was with child again, I guess the Herzog panicked. He sent her here with me. My mutter had Emnilda here."

"Who was the Herzog?"

"I can't remember. Herzog—it starts with an H—no an L. Lun—I don't remember."

"Lunden?"

"No..."

"Lunzer?"

"No. Not that one either."

"Then the only one left is—Lundhoffe."

"Oh, yes! That was it! Lundhoffe. Is he still herzog?"

Adelaide hesitated. It was awful. It couldn't be true. She twisted the hem of her sleeve.

"He's—that's—that's my vater."

"Wh—how—that's—"

Evonna stared, her mouth. She looked as if she was going to say something, then closed her mouth again.

"My vater had a mistress." Adelaide stared at the fire, but she couldn't see it. Her father had—it was unbelievable.

"We're—sisters." Evonna said it hesitantly. As if she was afraid of Adelaide's reaction.

"Half sisters."

"Emnilda! Emnilda! Come here! Emnilda!"

Emnilda appeared in the doorway, rubbing her eyes. "What? What's wrong?"

"Adelaide's our half sister!"

"Wha—"

"I know! I can't believe it neither, but it's true! You know the Herzog Mutter had us with?"

"Yeah..."

"He's Adelaide's vater!"

"Mmm. I'm going back to sleep. Good night." She disappeared again.

Neither Adelaide nor Evonna slept that night. Adelaide tossed and turned, unable to believe the worst of her father. Evonna coughed nearly all night, making angry sounds each time.

"Half sister!" Emnilda yelled when she woke up in the morning. "You're our half sister? Was that a dream?"

Evonna and Adelaide laughed.

"No, Em," Adelaide smiled.